1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a security system for entry to a premises and, more particularly, to a system providing both audio and video capabilities at a door to a building.
2. Background Information
The state of the art includes various devices for providing security to various portions of a premises as well as video security systems with an intercom activated by means of a doorbell. All of the disclosed systems have various shortcomings that limit the utility of the system.
For this and other reasons, a need exists for the present invention. This invention provides a doorbell answering and security system with unique features, which is believed to fulfill the need and to constitute an improvement over the background technology.
All United States patents and patent applications, and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Some examples of security systems for which patents have been granted include the following.
Cohn, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,675, describes a video security system with an intercom activated by means of a doorbell. The video input to a remote camera is automatically presented on the video display of a television receiver upon activation of the doorbell, while audio from the intercom's speaker microphone is output through the television receiver's speaker system. Following a predetermined time interval after doorbell actuation, the system automatically turns off. If the television receiver is on when the doorbell is actuated, the system automatically provides video camera and intercom information at the television, reverting to the received television signal mode of operation upon user selection.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,352, Gilley discloses a door mountable security system that includes a first fiber optic image conduit, a video camera having a lens visually coupled to one end of the fiber optic image conduit and a first video output. A miniature video recorder having a video input in connection with the video output of the video camera and an electrically activated record control input, is operable from a battery power source. A battery pack is in power supply connection with the miniature video recorder and has sufficient power output to power the miniature video recorder. A motion detecting device includes a pendulum switch, having an electrically conductive plumb-bob pendulum contact and an electrically conductive metal ring contact. A timer output device has a timed control output in electrical connection with the electrically activated record control input of the miniature video recorder and an electrical control input in electrical connection with the pendulum switch, such that electrical contact between the pendulum contact and the ring contact causes the timed output of the timed output device to generate a signal activating the record control input of the video recorder for a predetermined period of time.
Lee, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,139, describes a system for identifying visitors using a closed-circuit television camera to generate image data by reading images of visitors and a microphone to convert the sound waves received from visitors into electric waves. A door-bell button has a call-bell function available for when a visitor calls, and a switch function for operating a computer while the computer is in a hibernation state. The computer system controls and stores the signals and image data from the CCTV camera, the microphone, and the call-bell button, while a monitor displays the image data. This system identifies visitors by storing the visitor's image sensed from an identification device when the owner is absent by using a general purpose home computer. The system has a hibernation function and is inexpensive.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,097,429, Seeley et al. disclose a site control unit located at a premises, which processes video images obtained from a plurality of cameras located about the premises and relaying the presence of a real intrusion to a central station. The site control unit has an image acquisition module receiving video images from the cameras. An image processor processes the images to eliminate possible causes of false alarms of an intrusion and reliably detects actual intrusions. The processor includes video masking to filter known motion present within a scene, detecting movement in unmasked portions of the scene, and recognition classifying the cause of the movement. An indication of an intrusion is given only if the cause is one of a class of predetermined causes, representing an intruder on the premises or an unknown cause. A video recorder records images of the actual intrusion and supplies recorded images to a security system operator who informs authorities of an intrusion. The video recorder produces snapshots of a scene viewed by the camera detecting the intrusion, authenticates the snapshots, and transmits the snapshots for viewing by the operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,872, by Borg, describes a security system for homes and small offices that provides snapshots of potential trespassers for viewing on conventional television receivers. The system consists of at least one scene capture unit, a scene recovery unit, and communication links between the scene capture units and the scene recovery unit. A scene capture unit consists of a motion detector, a conventional television camera, and circuitry which converts the camera signal into a sequence of integers that is stored in semiconductor memory and then communicated to the scene recovery unit. The scene recovery unit generates from the sequence of integers communicated by the scene capture unit a signal which, when fed into a conventional television receiver, causes the scene recorded by the camera to be displayed on one portion of the television screen and the time of occurrence to be displayed on another portion. In those situations where building access by authorized persons is significant, the scene capture unit is equipped with an event detector, which aborts the processing of snapshots taken of authorized persons either entering or leaving the building.
Xin, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,429,893, describes a security system for monitoring and recording activity within the range of a proximity detector. The security system also enables an occupant of a house, building or other structure to communicate orally with a person who approaches a door or other threshold either through means disposed at the door or other threshold, or remotely. A remote unit allows a person to monitor the activity at the door or other threshold remotely, as well as to play back recorded activity. The device includes a video camera for generating a video signal, a video monitor operably coupled to the video camera, a proximity detector for generating a first signal representative of motion proximate the video camera, and a microcontroller operably coupled to the proximity detector. The microcontroller is further operably coupled to the video camera and to the video monitor through a video recording and playback device. The microcontroller further includes firmware for activating the video camera and the video recording and playback device in response to the first signal.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,858, Ramirez Diaz et al. disclose a computer-based system employing video capture, video motion detection, digital I/O and communications technology applied to monitoring and security applications. Video information, from one or more analog or digital camera, is independently converted into digital form, optionally displayed on a computer monitor in separate resizable windows, analyzed for motion and/or transmitted via the Internet or other networks. Motion detection or event triggers may be derived from a plurality of sources, including analysis of digitized camera video signals, motion detector devices, signals from alarm systems, X10 motion sensors or cameras with built-in motion detection. Once a trigger event occurs, software compresses the digitized camera image, stores it in a local database, converts it to an Internet mail binary file format, and sends the file to the address of a recipient. Alternatively, a beeper or direct phone call may be sent in response to alarm condition. A remote monitoring feature allows the system user to monitor either database or live video images from a plurality of remote locations.